Malice: A Half-o-ween Story
by sylvia-of-wings
Summary: Half-o-ween is less than a month away, and Lory has got quite the mandatory party planned! You're invited, with Kyoko and Ren supplying the entertainment. *Spoiler Alert!* This story takes place after the Guam arc and also contains major spoilers for Disney's movie Maleficent.
1. Once Upon a Time

**Chapter the First: Once Upon a Time  
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**(AMENDED NOTE FOR THOSE WHO HAVE READ IT BEFORE: THE STORY HAS BEEN CHANGED. IT TAKES PLACE AFTER GUAM STARTING IN THE MIDDLE OF APRIL.)**

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><p>"Mogami-kun? Before you go, I have something else to tell you," Sawara, Kyoko's supervisor, called after her.<p>

The girl, clad in a neon pink jumpsuit, looked back with one foot out the door. "Yes, Sawara-san?"

"Well, this might take a while to explain, so you'd better sit back down." The forty-year-old sighed, bracing for Kyoko's reaction to the news once he told her. He wasn't sure if she'd be elated, or if she would be so annoyed she'd be sending her little spirits to haunt him… He shuddered, remembering the terrifying nights he suffered through when that girl tried to wrangle her way into showbiz.

Kyoko froze, fear evident on her face. _I hope this doesn't mean that the president really did tell Tsuruga-san about those deplorable feelings I harbor deep within my heart, despite his assurances he wouldn't…_ she thought, her mind a whirling storm of disappointed Tsuruga.

_Oh, great. Looks like she's gonna be _real _receptive today, _Sawara observed, his mind forecasting yet another sleepless night. "Mogami-ku—"

"Right!" Kyoko regained her composure. She was a failure as an actress if she couldn't at least make it through _this._ "Sorry!" She hurriedly sat down in one of the hard chairs in front of Sawara's desk.

"No worries." Sawara cleared his throat. "Now where do I begin…?"

"Wha…" Kyoko tried to restrain the rising feeling of panic clouding her mind. _Get a grip, Kyoko. It's gonna be fine._

Taking a deep breath (which made Kyoko all the more nervous), Sawara asked, "Have you heard of the American tradition of Halloween? You know, pumpkins and skeletons and what-have-you."

"Ah-! Yes, I have."

Sawara, confused at the relief evident on Kyoko's face, continued, "Then, knowing our president's love for the exotic, extravagant, and bizarre, does it surprise you that he is throwing a mandatory Halloween gala that all company members must attend?"

"Not really, knowing him, but it's only April. Does he really plan that far in advance?" She sighed, thinking, _It wouldn't be surprising if he _is _that much of an evil mastermind, planning things months—no, years—ahead._

"Who knows? Anyways, it's actually what he calls a 'Half-o-ween' party, marking the date equidistant from last Halloween and the next." Sawara lowered his voice. "Between you and me, Mogami-kun, I think it's just an excuse for him to have fun making a big mess. But don't go repeating that now."

"Yessir! Huh, that does sound just like the president…"

Sawara allowed himself a small chuckle. So far so good. "Anyways, more about this party. There will of course, be tricks and treats, as well as costumes—quite elaborate ones, mind you. This will be no dinky little costume party."

Kyoko smiled in anticipation. "Maybe I can dress up like a princess, or maybe a fairy, or maybe… a _fairy queen!_" She began fantasizing about what sort of sparkly ensemble she might wear to the party. This news was better than she'd hoped! And since it was a mandatory gala, it was inevitable that Mr. Tsuruga would be there… and maybe there would be a whole legion of knights there!

By now Kyoko had drifted off into La La Land, and Sawara was having difficulty pulling her back into the mortal realm, having waved his hand in front of her glazed-over (albeit sparkling) eyes many times.. "Mogami-kun..."

No response, excepting a few excited giggles tumbling from her lips.

Sawara hadn't wished to resort to drastic measures so soon in the conversation, but there was no helping it. This seemed to be the only way to elicit a response from her. "Mogami-kun, have you heard Sho Fuwa's latest single? My daughter absolutely adores it, says Fuwa is the hottest vampire she ever laid eyes on."

Snapping back to reality, Kyoko's hands balled into fists. "What's this about that jerk Shotaro?" she growled.

Quick to placate the girl-turned-beast before him, Sawara shook his head, saying, "Nothing, nothing. Anyways, I hate to burst your bubble, Mogami-kun, but you can't choose your own costume."

The blazing anger was replaced with a look of absolute dejection. "Ohhh….."

"The president will be assigning everyone their costumes."

"Wha-why? Then it's just like a job…"

"You can treat it like that, I suppose, as you must attend. Call it a Love Me assignment if you must. The reason your costume is assigned is that the president has volunteered you to be the evening's entertainment."

"Why meeeeee?" Kyoko shuddered as the terrifying mental image of her being grilled like a criminal before a panel of judges crept through her vivid imagination.

Sawara shrugged. "I don't know. You'll have to ask the president. What I do know is that it's not as bad as you think."

"Not as bad as I think?"

"Since you've had a fair bit of acting experience up to now, it shouldn't be difficult for you to act in a skit alongside Tsuruga and a few other people."

Kyoko was conflicted. Another experience of acting with Tsuruga-san was always good, challenging her in new ways (though she doubted anything would challenge her like the Heel siblings had), but on the other hand, it was another opportunity to accidentally allow her feelings to slip. "Oh," she said, smiling hesitantly. "What kind of a skit is it?"

"The president wanted to go with a Disney villains theme for the party, so all of the performances are going to be based around those."

"Oooh!" Maybe there still _was _a chance that she could be something magical. "Am I going to be Elsa from _Frozen? _She'smyfavoritecharacterIjustsawthemovieand—"

Before she could float away to the realm of fairies once more, Sawara cut in with a curt, "No. The president has chosen _Sleeping Beauty_ as your skit…"

At this, Kyoko went a brighter pink than her work uniform. If she was acting with Tsuruga-san and they were doing Sleeping Beauty—how easy would it be for her to mess up? Heck, kissing was an integral plot point. Anything could happen. "What…"

"You didn't let me finish." By now Sawara was clicking his pen impatiently. This was taking far longer than it had to be. "I was saying that the president chose _Sleeping Beauty_, or rather _Maleficent_, seeing as the focus is on the villains, as that's more Halloween-ish or something."

"Oh. I still haven't seen that movie," Kyoko mumbled warily.

"Well, that doesn't mean you can't act it. I assume you're familiar with the original?"

"Of course!"

"You know that witchy thing—Maleficent? That's your part."

The first Love Me member was crestfallen. "Oh. Joy. Another Mio, yay." Secretly, though, she was relieved. This should eliminate any chance of intimacy with Tsuruga-san, if she was the villain, right?

"I'm glad to see you're so enthusiastic." Sawara pulled a small packet of paper from one of his desk drawers, sliding it across to Kyoko. "Here's the script. There's a rehearsal scheduled an hour before the gala begins, and that's it. It's more for fun than anything else, but as the president is orchestrating it all, you had better do your best."

She took the script, stowing it in her bag for safekeeping. "Right. Thank you. Is that everything?"

"Should be. You may leave."

"Thank you!" Kyoko stood and bowed, turning to leave for the second time.

"Mogami-kun?"

"Yes, Sawara-san?"

"I'm sure Tsuruga-san wouldn't mind running over the script with you."

"Y-yeah."

As much as she tried to deny it, Kyoko left L.M.E. that day with a spring in her step, unknowing of the tribulations ahead of her.

_To be continued…_

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><p>AN: Thanks for reading! :D


	2. Of Star Wars and Carrier Pigeons

**Chapter the Second: Of Star Wars and Carrier Pigeons  
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**(AMENDED NOTE FOR THOSE WHO HAVE READ BEFORE: THE STORY HAS BEEN CHANGED, WITH THE PARTY NOW A HALF-O-WEEN PARTY INSTEAD OF A HALLOWEEN PARTY. NO OTHER SIGNIFICANT CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE.)**

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><p>Ren Tsuruga was ambushed by an unnerving stare as he exited the men's restroom at L.M.E., having finished some business there.<p>

Calm, wise eyes gazed back at his own surprised brown orbs. Their owner was nearly as tall as he was (which was surprising, considering his own monstrous height), and wearing exotic clothing reminiscent of the Middle East, contrasting with his own casual designer clothing.

"An invitation for you, Tsuruga-sama. It is from the President." The president's secretary pulled a scroll of parchment paper tied with a golden ribbon from the depths of his loose outfit, presenting it to Ren as though it were an Academy Award.

"…Thank you," Ren said with a dazzling smile, taking the scroll as though it were a ticking time bomb. "May I ask what this is an invitation for?"

The secretary shook his head solemnly. "The president requested you read it in private. He will be in touch if you have further questions."

Ren's face lit up even more, looking as pleased as anyone to be alive. "Is that so? Thank you. Tell the president that I will."

"I shall relay that to the president. Good evening," the secretary said, bowing.

Ren returned the bow, smile still plastered to his face. Behind the mask, he was contemplating what sort of atrocity the president was plotting. One could only imagine…

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><p>Once he returned home much later that night, Ren sat at his kitchen table, confronted by the now-opened scroll. As he read the flowery calligraphy, his expression changed from one of dread to amusement.<p>

"Half-o-ween?" he said aloud, enjoying the absurdity of the word. "I don't even celebrate Halloween."

He sighed as he allowed himself to be swept away by phantoms of the past. The last time he had seriously celebrated Halloween was nearly ten years ago, as a very different person. As Kuon, before Kuon was overcome by darkness. This Kuon Hizuri was eleven years old, shining and bright, worthy of the title "Prince of the Fairies." He had his moments of darkness, but he kept the darkness at bay with the power of the Force.

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><p>Eleven-year-old Kuon Hizuri was a closet <em>Star Wars <em>fan. Though his parents were artsy, sentimental indie film aficionados, Kuon was a sucker for anything with a decent story, robots, and really cool fight scenes. _Star Wars _fit the bill to a T.

That year he had been planning to go as a spy inspired by the latest _James Bond _movie, which his father had a cameo in. If there was one thing Kuon Hizuri was not, it was a geek. No, Kuon Hizuri was the cool kid who supported his parents in all of their many endeavors.

The night before Halloween, Kuon was sitting at the counter in the Hizuri kitchen, pretending to do homework but really fantasizing about what it would be like to actually ride the _Millennium Falcon._ Suddenly, a paper bag was dumped in front of him.

"Wha—I was doing homework, I swear!" Kuon shrank in terror from the imposing height of his father.

Kuu Hizuri shook his head sadly. "Is my son too busy to accept the present his daddy brought him from work?"

"No, I—"

"Then what are you waiting for, Kuon? Go on. Open it already!"

Carefully opening the bag, Kuon pulled out a soiled V-neck shirt. "What is this, Dad…?"

"Idiot, there's more in the bag!"

Rolling his eyes, Kuon pulled out a wrinkled black vest and tight navy pants. "Um, okay?"

His father sighed. "I thought you would like it… I commissioned the costume designer of the TV show I'm working on to make an authentic-looking Han Solo costume for my darling son, but I guess he doesn't appreciate it…"

"Dad-!" Kuon could never tell if his father was seriously disappointed or just joking. One of the many disadvantages to having an actor for a dad. "But how'd you know? I love Han Solo!"

Kuu chuckled mysteriously. "I have my sources. Now go try it on, while I go get my camera!"

"I'll change, but no pictures, Dad."

"Come oooonnn!"

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><p>Now in a somewhat melancholy mood, Ren returned to his perusal of the president's invitation, reading it aloud.<p>

"'In addition to your attendance on May 1, you will grace fellow partygoers with a live performance, along with other L.M.E. talents.' Okay…." Ren's hopes were sinking as he prepared for the worst. "'Your assigned performance is an abridged stage version of Disney's film _Maleficent. _Your role is King Stephen. The script shall be sent to you via carrier pigeon as soon as time allows.' Oh, great."

At that moment, there was a timid knock at his door. Glad to escape from the unexpected stress caused by the president, Ren crept towards the front door. He peered through the peep hole and was surprised to see Kyoko Mogami clad in a long feathery dress, a golden envelope tied to her wrist.

"President…." he seethed. How did she get into the apartment building in the first place? Someone dressed like her would never—but then he remembered the terrifying power with which she had commanded some poor soul's bike when she was his substitute manager and on a quest to preserve the impeccable record of the Never-late King.

Kyoko knocked again, her eyes belaying her uncertainty. Suddenly she twitched, assuming a smile not unlike that of a door-to-door salesperson.

Ren opened the door with a matching smile. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit, Mogami-san? It's awfully late, and I would have had something prepared if I had known in advance. But come in, come in," he said, ushering the girl-who-didn't-look-that-much-like-a-pigeon into his apartment.

"I… am here at the request of the president to offer an important package to you, Tsu-tsuruga-sama!"

_To be continued..._

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><p>AN: Thank you for all the faves, follows and reviews! I apologize for the lack of a real posting schedule. As I work out more of the rest of the story, hopefully updates will be more often than monthly. I decided to change Halloween to Half-o-ween because it's more president-like and it's no longer Halloween, so I hope that doesn't throw anyone for too much of a loop... Also, was my way of separating segments by lines good or is there another method that you guys prefer? Any constructive criticism would be much appreciated! Thank you again, and may you have a fantastic day. :D


	3. Royal Fool

**Chapter the Third: Royal Fool**

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><p>The pigeon girl and the actor sat staring openmouthed at pages upon pages of blank paper. Kyoko and Ren were sitting on the floor of Ren's living room, enjoying tea and getting ready to peruse the script for the <em>Maleficent <em>skit together. That is, if there had been a script.

Kyoko, ruffling frantically through the papers she had been charged with delivering to Ren, began to panic. "There must been some mistake… this is probably all my fault… must have grabbed the wrong envelope… please don't kill me, Tsuruga-saaaaaaan!" She moaned, rolling on the floor in distress. "Aaaah... a stain on the kohai is a stain on the senpai…."

Ren did all in his power to keep from spitting his tea out in disbelief. Seriously, this girl… "Mogami-san, there's no need to get worked up over things like this. It's just the president. He enjoys messing with people. It's his hobby." He reached out to Kyoko, who cowered in shame, staring at the white oblivion of blank paper covering the high-end coffee table.

"I agree, but… wait, what's this?" She caught sight of a note written in very light pencil on one of the pages. Picking it up, she read it aloud to Ren. "'The skit is to be a silent drama, much in the way of a ballet, with only a few key words spoken here and there. The only way to prepare for your role is to study the source material, which I know that you have not seen. Further instruction will come at the first scheduled rehearsal on the evening April 20th at nine o'clock, which Yashiro has already added to your agenda.'"

Here Ren clucked in annoyance. Of course his manager was in league with the president!

"Is everything all right?" Kyoko asked, fearing his potential anger at her.

"Yes, yes, everything's fine. Do continue."

"There's not much left… let's see… 'Yours truly, His Excellency, President of L.M.E. and Guardian of Love,' and etcetera, 'Lory Takarada xoxo.' Oh, and 'P.S. This had better be good. I'm looking forward to your performance.'"

"The president's explanation had better be good," Ren growled. "Practically forcing me into…"

"Welcome to my life," Kyko said, standing up and gesturing about like a tragic hero, mock expression of self-pity upon her face. "'Tis but the curse of the Love Me section to cater to the whims of the advocate of hearts. When he bids, we acolytes do."

"He's always so nosy, digging into my personal life." Ren sighed, unknowing that halfway across Tokyo His Excellency's nose twitched. "Anyway, Mogami-san, I'm assuming you've been invited to this Half-o-ween party too?"

Kyoko sank to her knees. After witnessing Ren's reaction, she wasn't so keen on attending the party either. "Yeah… and I'm also in the _Maleficent _skit."

Ren smiled, taking a sip of tea. Perhaps this wouldn't be as bad as he thought. But then again, there was the president's scheming to consider… "Well, that puts two of us into the same boat, then. I don't think I told you my role. I get to be King Stephen, the dad, I think."

Kyoko frowned in disappointment. "I thought Tsuruga-san would be the prince."

"What, are you Sleeping Beauty?" Ren's breath caught a moment. Was she disappointed that she didn't get to kiss him?

"No, I'm Maleficent. I just think that Tsuruga-san, as one of the most senior members of L.M.E., should be one of the starring roles in the skit. The king is only a minor character. Why do I, with so little experience, get to play the main character? What is the world coming to?"

Well, there was one hope dashed, but not for the first time. Ren lifted Kyoko's chin gently with a sweep of his fingers. "Mogami-san, have a little more faith in yourself and take this 'job' for what it is. The president is recognizing your talents and allowing you an opportunity to shine. Seize it, and it can be valuable experience. And honestly, it can be boring to be a protagonist all the time. Bit characters can sometimes be even more interesting than the lead, like Mio or Natsu."

"But…" Kyoko went red at Ren's indirect compliment. How was it that this man always said just what she needed to hear?

"And also it's just the president, that royal fool. You have to take all of his ideas with a bucketful of salt."

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><p>Halfway across Tokyo, His Excellency erupted into a magnificent sneeze, causing him to inadvertently hit the worst possible option in his otome game.<p>

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><p>The next day, Kyoko was at L.M.E. chilling in the Love Me Section's headquarters waiting for a meeting with a supervisor when the door banged open. In stormed Kanae Kotonami, her long ebony locks streaming behind her, still managing to look as gorgeous as ever despite the menacing look on her face. Kyoko, startled, threw down her book of fairytales. "M-moko?"<p>

"_Mo_! Kyoko! Did you get invited to this stupid party thing too?" Kanae shoved a bright pink flyer proclaiming fun and festivities into Kyoko's hands. "Or should I say court-marshalled? And look at that text there! 'Entertainment to be provided by Love Me Section and other talents!'"

"Y-yes, Moko, and I'm…" Kyoko began excitedly before being cut off by her best friend.

"The nerve. To think they can go sign me up without my permission…" Kanae snatched the flyer back, stomping about the room.

Kyoko tried not to laugh, remembering Ren's similar lines the night before. "I know, Moko, I know. I have to act in a skit."

Kanae stopped mid-stomp, her booted foot hovering just above the seat of a chair. "Are you in that _Maleficent _thing too?"

"Yes. Only thing is, I haven't actually _seen _the movie."

"I rented it from Crown Video. You, me, Chiori-chan. My place, tomorrow at seven. We're going to watch it."

Kyoko flushed in excitement. "I've heard that there's a lot of fairies in it," she gushed, on the verge of entering Fairyland. "And that Aurora is really pretty. She's a perfect princess…"

"Oh, will you shut up?"

_What secrets will our heroines uncover? What will they find in the mysterious disk? Will the demon lord surface? To be continued…_

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><p>AN: Thank you for the reviews, follows, and faves! They really motivate me to get my sorry self in shape and write this story, as well as make me happy. :3 I really appreciate it. I realize that I have failed to update more frequently than once a month, and will still endeavor to do better as we travel into the meat of the story. But no promises- haha. Don't worry, this story WILL be finished. At some point.

I hope you all had a marvelous winter holiday. I am looking forward to another year of Skip Beat!

Cheers!


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